1. Field of Invention
Pertaining to the safe and easy transportation and operation of any handheld power posthole digger.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Many gasoline or electric powered earth boring apparatuses have been designed and developed to reduce the human time and energy required to bore relatively small cylindrical holes in the earth's surface, commonly referred to as postholes. The smallest of these apparatuses are portable power earth augers, commonly referred to as handheld power posthole diggers, comprising a small internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, configured to set on top or, to the side of, and attached to a power transmission mechanism, which is attached to, and rotates an earth auger with substantial force, which when brought into contact with the ground with substantial downward force supplied by the operator, digs into, and removes soil from the earth in a considerably aggressive manner, thereby creating a post hole.
With all handheld power posthole diggers, the operator holds on to, and controls the aggressive and dangerous apparatus by means of handles that extend a distance outward from under the engine or outward from under the transmission mechanism. Although these types of apparatuses can decrease the amount of time it takes to dig a posthole, as opposed to a digging posthole with a hand tool, they do not necessarily decrease the human energy required. Digging a posthole with a handheld power posthole digger actually requires approximately the same amount or human energy as would be required to dig the same posthole using a hand tool. The energy is simply exerted by a much greater number of the operator's muscles, utilizing the operator's whole body to dig a posthole, instead of just his arms and shoulders, as hand tools normally do. However when operating a handheld power posthole digger, the energy is exerted by the operator in a much shorter period of time, and in somewhat of a violent manner. This is what makes the use of a handheld power posthole digger both strenuous and dangerous.
With all handheld power posthole diggers, the reverse torque and recoil produced by the turning auger hitting dirt, rocks and roots is resisted and absorbed totally by the operator's body, which can result in excessive stress, and even personal injury to the operator.
In an effort to overcome these problems, some power posthole diggers have been designed with a special configuration placing the engine and transmission mechanism in a heavy frame, and a substantial distance from the turning auger, with a long, rigid bar or beam connecting the engine and transmission mechanism to the turning auger. With this configuration, the long, rigid bar or beam, attached to the heavy engine and transmission mechanism, holds the resistance against the turning auger.
Such apparatuses provide some measure of safety for the operator, but their proper operation still relies completely on the operator's muscles to push the tuning auger down into the ground to make it dig, and also to pull it up out of the ground during and after the digging process. Each time the operator has to pull the auger up out of the ground, he has to lift the weight of the auger, the weight of the power transfer mechanism on top of the auger, the bar or beam that holds resistance against the turning auger, plus the weight of the dirt that is being removed form the hole.
In addition to this considerable combined weight, here is also considerable friction encountered when pulling an auger out of a posthole that is approximately the same diameter as the auger bit that drilled it. This friction, plus the said combined weight, often requires the operator to exert several hundred pounds of upward force with his legs, arms, shoulders and back to lift the auger and dirt up out of the hole, and the operator must do this repeatedly during the entire digging process to keep clearing the dirt from the auger, to keep it from bogging down the engine, and getting the auger stuck in the ground.
Apparatuses configured with the engine and transmission mechanism set a substantial distance from the turning auger, with the two connected by a long, rigid bar or beam, also require a relatively large turning radius. Their relatively large turning radius, plus their larger size and heavier weight makes them impossible to maneuver into close quarters or confined spaces, and makes them nearly impossible to move over uneven ground or rough terrain.
A variety of smaller, lighter, more portable handheld power posthole diggers have been designed with special handles or special clutch mechanisms to reduce stress and danger to the operator. However, any apparatus with enough power to develop enough rotational force to bore postholes in the earth is definitely powerful enough to be very dangerous, even the ones with a good clutch mechanism.
The smallest of these handheld power posthole diggers are lightweight enough to be carried from place to place by hand, but they are all still very awkward to move and carry from place to place, especially with a 3 ft. long auger bit attached.
In order to carry a handheld power posthole digger in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and safety instructions, you must shut off the engine after digging each hole before you carry it to the next hole, and then you must restart the engine just before digging the next hole.